UCLA Rises To No.4 In Latest Polls

By Bruin Basketball Report

A sweep over both Oregon schools coupled with key losses by Duke and Kansas last week helped propel UCLA to a No.4 ranking in both national polls this week.  Both the Blue Devils and Jayhawks fell out of the Top 5.

The Bruins (24-3, 12-2)routed Oregon State, 84-49, and followed it up with a tough 75-65 win over the Oregon Ducks on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.   

This week's polls crowned a new No.1 after the Tennessee Volunteers upset previously undefeated Memphis over the weekend, 66-62, in an epic battle between No.1 and No.2.

Besides UCLA, the Pac-10 was represented in both polls by Stanford (22-4, 11-3) at No.8 and Washington State (21-6, 9-6) at No.22.

UCLA's RPI ranking dropped this week despite two wins to No.9 fom No.7.  Its SOS, strength of schedule, also took a hit as a result of playing lowly Oregon State at home, dropping to No.38 from No.21.

The Bruins travel to the desert this week to face Arizona State on Thursday and the Wildcats of Arizona on Saturday.

Complete Associated Press Poll (AP)
Complete Coaches ESPN/USA Today Poll
Complete Ken Pomeroy RPI Ranking
2007-08 UCLA Rankings Weekly Changes

Comments

So if all things stay the way they are... how is UCLA looking for a #1 seat if their RPI is 9 and their SOS is 38?

[JonW]

Lunardi at ESPN Bracketology says Bruins a No.2 seed in the West behind Texas. Not the best but I'd take it as long as we stay in the West.

UCLA will get a 2 seed out West (just like the past couple years). One bad loss each of the past two years has sealed their "fate". But let's be real, a 2 seed is not too bad. I just don't liek that 2 vs 3 matchup. Would much rather prefer the 1 vs 4 since there is a pretty big drop off this year outside the top 10.

[Justin]

Lunardi also said that he expects the Bruins to win the Pac-10 regular season title and Pac-10 tourny, and if/when that happens, the Bruins will get a #1 seed out west.

[ASK]

We all know Howland does not like the PAC 10 tournament. Part of me says that last year he might have "inferred", to save the teams energy and focus on the NCAA tournament and not the PAC 10 tourney. He hates it that they want you to play 3 brutal PAC 10 games in 3 days, finishing on Sunday and then turn around and play the NCAA's on Thursday and Saturday. He wants the team to come in fresh and not burnt out and tired. I think if we have the West wrapped up again we might see the Bruins taking it easy in game 1 of the PAC 10 tourney.

[Larry]

Interesting point ASK. As simple and obvious as that sounds, I had never thought about the Bruins taking that approach - i.e. not losing on purpose, but also not going at the Pac-10 tourney with a full 110% effort. Hmmm... still dunno if that's the case, but at least intersting to think about.